Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a human-resources expert, is tackling your questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR professional society.

The questions are submitted by readers, and Taylor's answers below have been edited for length and clarity.

Have a question? Do you have an HR or work-related question you’d like me to answer? Submit it here.

Question: What do you do when an issue arises and you work for a small company without an HR department or representative? – Sara

Johnny C. Taylor Jr.: Your supervisor often is the go-to person when problems come up in the workplace, and that’s generally where I would suggest you turn first.

But your question is a reminder that HR has many responsibilities in an organization, so I’d like to share more information with you.

It’s common for a very small workplace not to have an HR department. Organizations of fewer than 50 employees sometimes don’t have a dedicated HR staff, or they have an HR “department of one.”

But even in the smallest of businesses, there are people to turn to when issues come up. Company policies and procedures also can guide you.

The nature of the issue and the organizational structure of the business usually determine where to go for answers to HR-related questions. Here’s my advice:

Personnel issues: Usually, the first step is to go to your supervisor. But if your supervisor is the problem and you cannot solve the issue one-on-one, then go directly to your supervisor’s boss or the business owner for help.

Employee benefits (paid leave, health care, etc.): Seek guidance from someone internally, such as an office manager or payroll administrator. When the question involves insurance or retirement savings, you might be able to contact the insurer, carrier or financial services company directly for assistance.

Federal or state law: When the matter is about employment law (harassment or discrimination, for example), go to a supervisor, manager or even the owner of the company immediately.

In any case, always talk to someone in authority at your organization if you have a concern that needs resolution. If you still need guidance after these conversations, outside agencies such as your state’s Department of Labor or federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission may be able to help.

Election Day: Having time off to vote

With the midterm elections approaching, you might have a question about your ability to take time off from work to go to the polls.

The promising news is that 44 percent of employers offer their workers paid time off to vote. This is a slight increase over last year and a reflection that more employers are proactively encouraging their employees to vote. In addition, 29 percent offer unpaid time off beyond what is required by state law.

The answer also might depend on what state you live in. Time off to vote is not mandated by federal law, but most states have voter-leave laws, although they vary widely. Some prevent employers from discouraging employees to take time off to vote, while others require employers to provide paid time off.

In some states, the law outlines whether employers can designate the hours to be taken off to vote. In other places, it defines how much notice employees must provide to their employer about their intention to take voting time off.

In California and New York, for example, employers are required to post employee voting rights in the workplace in advance of Election Day.

No matter where you live, I encourage you to check your company policy or state law and talk with your supervisor in advance if you need time away from work to cast your ballot.

I will be proudly wearing my “I Voted” sticker on Nov. 6. Will you?

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